


Past is Prologue

by B_Radley



Series: Becoming Fulcrum [4]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Gen, Growth, Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-30
Updated: 2016-10-30
Packaged: 2018-08-27 20:41:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8416045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/B_Radley/pseuds/B_Radley
Summary: A Padawan and a Naval officer discuss teachers and Masters.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [It Hath No Stalk](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8069680) by [B_Radley](https://archiveofourown.org/users/B_Radley/pseuds/B_Radley). 
  * Inspired by [We Dance Round in a Ring and Suppose](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8349415) by [Merfilly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly). 



> Character study of Ahsoka and her brand new master, through the eyes of another original character.
> 
> Thanks to Merfilly for the inspiration.

**Z'ambique  
** Republic Frigate 667  
Year 13.04 

Jana Sloane, a Lieutenant Commander in the Republic Navy for all of a day, sits in an open chair on the bridge of her command.

Her light frigate. Known by its clone inhabitants as the _Bucket_. She rolls her eyes. _Damned irreverent groundpounders._

She smiles. She wouldn't have it any other way.

She sits in the chair on her bridge trying to breathe. To live.

Her smile takes a rueful quality. This was not her usual way of touching the light and finding relaxation. Of finding light after a hard or deadly fight.

Her usual relaxation involved a certain Jedi Padawan, now knight. One who is lying in a medbay, recuperating from a lightsaber wound.

She closes her eyes. Just as she does, she catches a movement on an external monitor. A brown blur leaping up to the upper hull. Her eyes narrow. She opens a locker and pulls out a small boarding blaster.

She nods at the rating standing watch and exits the bridge.

XXXXX

Sloane climbs up through the forward dorsal hatch. She pokes her head up, just as a small figure enters the aft hatch. She smiles as she recognizes the brown robe. She climbs down and makes her way aft.

She stops and waits. She doesn't wait long. The brown clad figure moves into the cross corridor.

"I apparently have a large rat on my ship."

The figure stops. Its shoulders slump for a second. Sloane can almost hear the Smirk that she cannot see. "I have been called a mouse before, but by a rather large clone," the figure says in a high, young voice.

Sloane smiles. "I can almost bet who that was. He's called me a few names, too, but none that can be repeated."

The figure turns fully toward Sloane. The brown robe is open, showing a non-standard Jedi rig. The hood falls back. A orange, impossibly young face with white markings framing large, open blue eyes. The face is framed by blue and white striped lekku rising to montrals just showing above the head. A fading blue bruise shows just below the left montral.

Sloane grins at the open, earnest expression in the eyes. Those eyes also speak of snark and sarcasm, as well as a growing knowledge of things that someone so young should not see.

Several things speak of the young girl's skill and growing power. A headdress, made up of teeth from what appears to be a giant predator lines her forehead.

At her waist, a distinctive sash hangs next to the primary tool of her trade. Sloane has seen all three of these adornments on another Jedi, in different forms. A Jedi with whom she usually tries to steal the light when she can.

Jana's eyes soften as she sees other indications of what the young Jedi has gone through. Scrapes, bruises, and cuts seem to dot every other centimeter of the girl's - _no_ , _young_ _woman's_ exposed skin of her hunting attire. Some sort of light supporting brace wraps her ribs over the bare midriff. The lightness of the brace denotes a stint in bacta already.

"So, what do we owe the pleasure of your company, uh, Commander, I assume?"

"Yes, ma'am. Commander and Padawan Ahsoka Tano. I know Comm- General Croft."

"And you still admit it," Sloane says with a smirk.

"Somedays," the young Padawan says with a matching Smirk.

"General Croft is not here, Commander."

"I know. Just wanted to see where he lives and works." She looks down. "I wanted to see the place and people that have made him," she says in a small voice.

"You didn't have to sneak aboard, Commander. We take our Jedi seriously," she says, "in spite of the daily example we are shown."

They share another commiserating look.

"Well, ma'am, to tell the truth, I couldn't remember the protocols to visit another Naval vessel."

Sloane shakes her head at the impossible youth and shininess of the young Togruta. She starts as she looks down at her own attire. Uniform trousers and a greasy tank top don't exactly scream 'Captain.'

"Forgive me, Commander, I am Lieutenant Commander Sloane, captain of this vessel. Welcome aboard." She extends her hand.

The young Jedi grasps it and shakes it. "Which do I call you? Lieutenant Commander, or Captain?" she asks.

"Well, on my ship, I am the Captain and the law. Off of it I'm usually referred to by my actual rank. But," she says, "you outrank me. You can call me anything you want."

"Got it, Captain," Ahsoka says. "If we're not in front of the crew or anybody, you can call me Ahsoka."

Sloane feels a sense of pride as she hears the Padawan's words. "Jana, Commander. Why don't we go to the wardroom? I'll buy you some caf. It's the one thing that is actually very good on the _Bucket_."

Ahsoka smiles at the name. "You're on, Captain."

XXXXX

Ahsoka's hands are wrapped around the handleless china mug of an old-style Naval wardroom. She had downed one mug of caf, but Sloane had wisely decided that she didn't need anymore stimulant.

Instead, she had brought out some of her precious supply of cocoa that her younger sister Rae had sent her. Knowing how precious the cocoa was on their shithole of a homeworld, she used it sparingly.

The young Togruta seems to appreciate it, but also how precious it is. She sips it sparingly.

She is quiet. Jana senses that this is not her normal mode. She looks into the brilliant blue eyes. She knew that the young woman had suffered a concussion in the final breakout from the capital. Jana can see no hint of dullness or listlessness.

Just deep thought.

"What's going on in there, Ahsoka? Everything okay?" she asks.

"Nothing, really, Jana. Just thinking about some things. Croft. My new Master."

She falls silent, as if digesting that she had said too much.

"You can talk to me, if you like, Ahsoka. It will stay here."

The Padawan nods. She looks her youth in that instant. "Thanks, Jana. It's just...."

"I don't know if I have really connected with my Master, yet. I don't know how to impress him or show him that I can do this."

"I don't know Jedi all that much. Croft is the first one that I have had positive contact with. The ones that I dealt with as a Judicial officer were mostly of the arrogant sort."

"I know those well," Ahsoka says matter-of-factly.

"How long have you been together, Ahsoka?" Sloane asks.

"About a month or so as Master and Padawan. We have formed a training bond. But, I don't think that he has still accepted me. He really didn't want a Padawan slowing him down."

"Hard to believe you slowing anybody down, Ahsoka," Sloane observes with a smile.

Ahsoka smiles her gratitude. "Thanks, Jana." She sips her drink. "I sometimes wonder if I can keep up with the human hyperdrive known as Anakin Skywalker."

Jana changes the subject. "So tell me about Croft. He was a teacher, right?"

This time, the huntress' smile is wistful. "Yeah. Me and about thirty other younglings. Hated him for awhile. He always seemed to push me more than anyone else."

Sloane nods. "I can see that. But I also see that he pushes the ones harder that he expects more from."

Ahsoka lifts one corner of her mouth in agreement. "Yeah. I know now that he doesn't push anyone harder than himself." She laughs. "I always thought that he was so overcautious. That he would slow me down."

"I thought that for about two seconds. Until I saw him jump off of my ship in flight to a droid control ship to help his Master."

"I finally figured it out; got it through my thick skull, that he usually is about three steps ahead of us all in his head," Ahsoka says.

She Smirks. "Except in wit. I am usually about five steps ahead of him in being a smartass."

The Captain laughs. "That is saying something about a Corellian."

"So do you really think you won't be able to keep up with Skywalker?"

"No. I can and will. But I just want him to realize that I can keep up."

"Sweetie, I think that he can. You need to give it time. It took time for you to realize that Croft actually knew what he was talking about."

"Thought that you didn't know Jedi that much."

"No. But I have an impatient, know-it-all little sister."

Their laughter rises in the wardroom. Ahsoka grows pensive again. "I hope Croft will be alright. He seemed very sad when I got here."

"He is worried about you being in this hellhole. Probably felt like you were too young. Nothing against you or your skill. He probably thinks that we are in trouble if we are putting soldiers in the field at your age."

"Will you watch his back?" Jana smiles at the small voice in which this question is asked. Her heart flips at another young woman, one a little older, but with the same small voice asking a similar question.

 _I will be okay, Rae. I'll be back._  
  
They sip their drinks companionably, talking about inconsequential things. Laughing. Forgetting about the war. About teachers and trying to adjust.

The door to the wardroom opens. A clone officer stands there. A Captain with bleached-blonde, short-cropped hair. His helmet, with its blue trim and _J'aig_  eyes. The mouth on his blank face quirks up. He comes to attention and nods to the ship's Captain.

His eyes fall on Ahsoka. He looks back at Sloane. "Beg your pardon, Captain. I am Captain Rex of Torrent Company, 501st. Apparently, the medbay has misplaced a Commander who is supposed to be on bedrest from a concussion and broken ribs. General Skywalker sent me to look for her."

Sloane and Rex laugh at the downcast expression sitting across from her.

Ahsoka finishes her drink and stands. "Thank you, Captain Sloane. I've enjoyed our talk."

"The pleasure is all mine, Commander Tano." Sloane says formally. "Captain Rex, could you wait for us at the entry port? I promise to escort your prisoner to you."

Rex looks at Ahsoka. "I don't know, Captain. She is pretty slippery. Pretty desperate character."

Sloane and Ahsoka both smirk. "I think I can handle her. I'm pretty slippery myself."

"Very well, Captain." Rex puts his bucket on and salutes both of them. Sloane nods.

Ahsoka looks at her curiously. "How come you didn't return his salute?"

"Navy doesn't salute unless you have your cover on. You don't wear your cover indoors unless you are under arms and on duty."

Sloane smiles as she sees the servos turning in the young Jedi's head. _Another lesson down_.

"Guess it's time for me to face the music," Ahsoka says. She comes closer to Jana. She throws herself into the Naval officer's arms. Sloane holds her close. "You'll be fine, Ahsoka," she whispers. "Your Master is very lucky."

Ahsoka doesn't see Sloane's eyes close over her shoulders. They break apart.

They make their way to the entry port. Jana dons her tunic and takes her hat. As they approach the hatch, the loudspeaker comes on. "General Croft is on his way over, Captain."

Ahsoka looks at her. "How come he gets to check himself out early?" she says in an aggrieved tone.

"We want to try to save some of your brains, Sweetie. Croft's are too far gone."

Their shared laughter takes them through the hatch. Sloane hands her 'prisoner' over to Rex. She stands there and watches as Croft and Skywalker approach. She turns to where Rex and Ahsoka are talking. She smiles as she sees Ahsoka bring her right hand up to her brow. Rex gently adjusts her hand, where her middle finger touches her brow and the palm is turned slightly in.

She watches as the young huntress salutes the OOD and then the Republic insignia near the entry port in proper sequence. She smiles and brings her own hand up to her hat as the Padawan walks over to the two Knights. She bows to them.

Anakin and Taliesin laugh at something that Ahsoka says. Skywalker shakes Croft's hand. Ahsoka with a look to Skywalker, embraces Croft.

Ahsoka and her new master walk away, laughing again. Rex trails behind.

Jana Sloane watches the play of expressions on Croft's face as they walk away. Mostly she sees a mixture of pain and pride; mixed with powerful memories.

She walks towards him. To bring him to his new future.

As she walks, she makes a note to herself to record a message. A message to a young woman left behind on a hellhole of a planet.


End file.
